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2021 Buick Envision

Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

91 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints2 crash reported 23

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 26 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2021 Buick Envision is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Envision FWD, is EPA-rated at 26 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 23 complaints, most often about the fuel/propulsion system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Buick Envision — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Buick Envision · Photo: Anonymousfox36 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Envision FWD	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	24	31	26	$2,600
Envision AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	22	29	25	$2,700

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 43368, 43201.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Envision AWD, Envision FWD	7 / 10	California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
GVWR class	Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Displacement	2 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	FWD/Front-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	9

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking, Rear cross-traffic alert

Optional: Adaptive cruise control, Parking assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Avenir, Essence, Preferred). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	182.7 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	74.0 in
Height	64.6 in
Wheelbase	109.4 in
Track, front	63.4 in
Track, rear	63.4 in
Curb weight	3,693–3,865 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	59/41 to 60/40

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: SUV AWD, SUV FWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

○minor

Exterior Lighting

N222386380

740,108 vehicles 98% reported repaired

Problem General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Cadillac CT4 and CT5; 2021-2023 Buick Envision; and 2022-2023 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The daytime running lights (DRLs) may not deactivate when the headlights are on. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment." Risk DRLs that do not deactivate as intended may result in a glare, reducing visibility, and increasing the risk of a crash. Fix The body control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2023. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N222386380. This recall expands previous recall number 22V-827.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 22V903000 reported Dec 8, 2022 General Motors, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

●moderate

Electrical System

N212338110

285,622 vehicles 99% reported repaired

Problem General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Buick Envision, Cadillac CT4, CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Corvette, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles. The communications gateway module incorrectly processes a loss of communication with the sensing diagnostic module (SDM), causing the air bag malfunction indicator light to inconsistently illuminate. Risk The air bag malfunction indicator light may fail to warn the driver of a problem with the air bag, increasing the risk of injury. Fix The communications gateway module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 1, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212338110.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 21V421000 reported Jun 10, 2021 General Motors, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Envision

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2021 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Buick publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Buick’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2021 Buick Envision, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

23complaints filed

2 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

6.5 per 10,000 built · Buick reported 35,234 Envision built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2022: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2025: 8 · 2026: 3

Most-cited components

Fuel/Propulsion System 7

Electrical System 5

Power Train 5

Unspecified 3

Tires 2

Engine 2

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The contact owns a 2021 Buick Envision. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed on the freeway, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated around a corner, with the floor mat stuck under the pedal. The driver depressed the brake pedal for an extended time, but the vehicle continued accelerating.

Vehicle Speed Control at 36,000 miles Feb 20, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11719389

When I start at a low speed it's like it does not know which gear to go in. You push on the gas and it does not move much and then launches forward. It has done this since I purchased it in April 2025 used. When in auto stop and the engine starts up with my foot still on the brake, sometimes it will lurch and buck.

Power Train Jan 2, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11708450

Fuel pump and fuel control module failed. Car will not stay running. Currently at GM dealership. Confirmed and repair cost about $500. No warning lights

Fuel/Propulsion System Nov 26, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11701652

The contact owns a 2021 Buick Envision. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert malfunctioned. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the side-view mirror illuminated erroneously while driving near a guard rail.

Structure at 53,000 miles Oct 9, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11692364

Electircal System, Interior Lighting: Purchased car used 11/05/24. Interior rear lights come on while driving, once started they will not automatically turn off, and remain on when the vehicle is turned off. This incident is the same as NHTSA ID Number: 11607181, dated: 08/03/24

Electrical System Dec 31, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11633461

245/45 R 20 all four tires are pitting and delaminating and the rubber is falling off. These are Continental pro contact 99 h. Mold number s-908480 and mold number s-50879. With a DOT number of 1lf0fbbxy 4820

Tires Nov 3, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11553354

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Buick itself: 10 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 12 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 28 per 100,000 built. Every Envision model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	15%
SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 2 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · GM warranty extension 22-NA-244This warranty administration service bulletin provides information about GM Accessories - Dealer-Installed, Repaired or Replaced During Warranty Coverage Period.
15 years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first · GM warranty extension N242441120Certain vehicles, equipped with a 2.0 gasoline engine (RPO LSY), may have a condition that could cause the evaporative emissions purge pump to fail.

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every GM warranty extension (33) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 698

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-26

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 685 service bulletins, 7 emissionss, 3 service campaigns

Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Engine, Unknown Or Other, Power Train.

PIT5698F Service bulletin
2026-09-26 · Unknown Or Other
This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
PIP4902W Service bulletin
2026-09-04 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIC6551C Service bulletin
2026-08-20 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless projection issues
PIT5099J Service bulletin
2026-07-21 · Unknown Or Other
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT5966F Service bulletin
2026-06-23 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates an issue with an OTA pending message still displayed after an OTA event and how to reset/clear the message.
PIC6423A Service bulletin
2026-05-11 · Unknown Or Other
Pi created to provide GM dealers with information on gathering information for projection issue
PIC6551B Service bulletin
2026-05-11 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless projection issues
PIT6507 Service bulletin
2026-04-20 · Unknown Or Other
This PI communicates information on a SPS programming issue causing Serial Data Authentication Configuration to fail.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P04FB P04FB on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Unknown Or Other	10 bulletins
P023F P023F on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	7 bulletins
P129F P129F on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	7 bulletins
B3055 B3055 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Air Bags	4 bulletins
B3060 B3060 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Air Bags	4 bulletins
B3935 B3935 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Air Bags	4 bulletins
P0300 P0300 on Buick →	Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.	Engine · Ignition coils →	4 bulletins
P0308 P0308 on Buick →	Cylinder 8 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	4 bulletins
P050D P050D on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	4 bulletins
B1038	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	3 bulletins
P0442 P0442 on Buick →	A small leak in the evaporative emissions system.	Electrical System · Gas cap →	3 bulletins
P0451 P0451 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	3 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 2.1%

failed emissions

1,144 initial inspections of 1,121 vehicles.

Measure	The 2021 Envision	Every 2021 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	2.1%	1.9%	1,140
Failed the safety inspection	1.3%	1.5%	1,144
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.17%	0.19%	1,144
Miles driven a year	9,172	10,343	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	48,623	54,681	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2021 vehicle” is every 2021 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Envision by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 A 1 0 25 mpg 2025 A 0 10 24 mpg 2024 A 1 13 24 mpg 2023 A 1 26 26 mpg 2022 A 1 26 26 mpg 2021 this page A 2 23 26 mpg 2020 A 0 12 25 mpg 2019 A 0 23 25 mpg 2018 A 0 15 25 mpg 2017 C 4 81 25 mpg 2016 C 5 19 22 mpg

Common questions about the 2021 Envision

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2021 Buick Envision have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2021 Buick Envision. The most serious on file is 21V421000, covering Electrical System. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2021 Buick Envision?

NHTSA gave the 2021 Buick Envision 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (91/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Buick Envision?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2021 Buick Envision, the best EPA combined figure is 26 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2021 Buick Envision?

Transport Canada measured it at 182.7 in long, 74.0 in wide (body, without mirrors), 64.6 in tall, on a 109.4 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,693–3,865 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2021 Buick Envision?

Owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Buick Envision, most often about fuel/propulsion system, electrical system, power train. Of those, 2 involved a crash. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2021 Buick Envision?

The EPA smog rating for the 2021 Buick Envision is 7 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2021 Buick Envision?

The manufacturer has filed 698 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2021 Buick Envision, most often covering equipment, electrical system, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-09-26. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2021 Buick Envision do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Buick Envision failed the emissions check on 2.1% of first inspections — close to the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.3% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	2 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	2 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	23	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	698	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	10 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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